The lifeless animated Construct known only as Marlina, awakened in a world at odds from deep lingering scars of conquest and malice, seeks a home where she can belong.
In hopes of finding a place to call home, she also wishes to seek answers for th...
For a being that cannot sleep, nights can feel infinite. Time only constantly moves at such a sluggish pace, waiting for the sun, where the world once again comes to life. But when lingering underground, it's nearly unbearable.
Marlina decided to stay in the room for the night, not wanting to worry anyone if they checked inside and found her gone.
In addition to reflecting on everything that happened yesterday, she has been trying to figure out how to restore her form. It's frustrating that she has no idea how.
'Is there even a way? If not, if what's left of me is all I have, what would become of me if all of it were gone?'
Closing her eyes, she takes a few moments to recollect herself.
"They might have a way... Hopefully."
As she sits up in the bed, she hears the rattle of the seed in her foot as she shifts. Lifting and turning her leg, she lets the seed fall from one of her gaps onto the bed. Sitting cross-legged on the bed, she stares at the seed for minutes as if waiting for it to answer this dilemma.
But, as always, nothing.
"Of all the things that could have been told, why didn't you tell me how to survive like this? In this strange body?"
Still nothing.
In her time alone in Urush, before a storm uprooted the flower, it didn't seem to have much purpose. The only thing it did was bloom when she touched it, allowing her to climb into its center. The first time she did this, it closed over her and sank her into unconsciousness.
That might be described as the only time Marlina has 'slept' if being in a state of utter nothingness is what sleep is like for others. She has attempted to fight this occurrence multiple times, but to no avail.
Eventually, the flower would set her free, and she would reawaken, the time trapped inside varied in brief hours. The first couple of times were to see if the voice would speak again, but it never did. Despite the flower seeming to have little use, she was not against trying to see if regrowing it would help. But as things are, there isn't a suitable place for it to grow for the time being.
Marlina then hears footsteps outside the door, followed by a knock. She pushes the seed back into her leg and stands up from the bed.
After a moment, the door opens, and Elek slowly peeks into the room. He's surprised and unnerved to see Marlina standing there, feeling discomfort as she bows to him. It's particularly strange, given her current physical condition, especially with her absent hands.
"Good morning, Sir Elek." She greets him.
Opening the door wide, Elek steps into the room. From the goggles resting on his head to the pair of sheathed knives at his lower back, he's ready to venture out into the wasteland. However, Marlina has to admit that his attire is surprisingly colorful for someone traveling through the desert.
He wears a loose-fitting tunic of vibrant teal, a leather brace across his waist with straps over his shoulders, and long, thick gloves that reach the cuffs of his tunic. The hide pants are bulky on his legs, and his boots extend below his knees. The blades at his back have a curved shape and an unusual handle designed for a more controlled grip. Marlina also recognizes Tessa's red knitted scarf, though she's unsure why Elek has it.
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"Good morning, Marlina. Were you... standing in that spot all night?" That might have been too direct a question, but if she had been there the entire night, it would have been a common trait of a Construct—to place itself in a state of stasis until needed.
"I was lying in bed. I had just gotten up when you knocked to greet you properly."
Now this raises more questions. Elek clearly remembered her mentioning yesterday that she didn't want to waste a bed on herself and didn't need any rest.
"Did you sleep at all?"
Marlina shakes her head. "I don't require sleep. I didn't want to roam around and make you or Miss Tessa worry. Is it morning? It's impossible to tell the time down here."
It's becoming increasingly difficult for Elek to perceive this woman as Tessa does. Tessa had spent most of the night trying to find a way to restore Marlina's hollow body. Unfortunately, she only has Urushian medical books that don't explore life forms like Marlina.
Still, she devoted hours to seeing if there was any possibility. Elek had to persuade her to bed so she wouldn't be up all night, and snuck out of their room to let her sleep.
If Marlina's a person, as Tessa believes, would any normal individual be so willing to remain in a small room, lying awake the entire time, just waiting for the morning? Come to think of it, it sounds a bit like incarceration.
"I apologize if there was a misunderstanding. You could have left the room if you wanted to. We'd be more concerned if you returned to the wastes, even though the hekoska won't return for a while."
Given her worsened condition, she may end up staying here until they figure out how to heal her. She insists on earning her keep in any way she can for being rescued.
"That said, I wanted to propose that you accompany me to retrace your steps and gather the remains you mentioned yesterday, if you can remember the general area where you buried them."
With a sparkle in her eye, she nearly forgot about them. Yesterday, her first thought was to go and get them as soon as possible. But everything that had happened made the thought slip her mind.
"I would be more than happy to help! I used what I found nearby to mark them. When shall we leave? I'm ready at any time."
Certainly eager. It's comforting that she's enamored with the service he provides, which isn't common. Most find it morbid, and plenty find it strange. Despite that, the gratitude expressed when the remains are returned to their rightful home is immensely gratifying.
"I must gather some supplies before we leave. Do you think you will be affected by the desert heat in your condition? And how long were you in the desert before we found you?"
"It's difficult to say. Last night, when my petals were dying, it was because of Chief Aurea's cold. Yet I've been in cold places and snow before, and nothing happened then. I continuously spent five days and four nights in the desert and saw no signs of damage. Not until I was swallowed. I'm unsure if the heat will now due to my condition, so perhaps... Should I stay behind and not risk it?"
From the look on her face, her disappointment is evident. This current predicament with her form seems just as infuriating to her as it is to them. Although she knows more about how her body works than they do, she's learning just like they are.
While Elek contemplates this, Marlina awaits his answer, hoping he knows how to allow her to join him.
"To keep us from overheating in the wastes, we usually take a block of Aurea's ice in our sleds. It's kept in a crate, but its chill is enough to make travel bearable longer than if we didn't have it. The heat of the wastes should prevent the ice from harming you, and vice versa. Perhaps if we covered you with a cloak and closely monitored you, just in case?"
Marlina's eyes glimmer with excitement.
"I followed a straight path through the desert to avoid getting lost, so as long as we keep to that path as much as we can, finding those skeletons should be straightforward."
